Biography

Long-distance runner Werner Girke was eliminated in the heats of the 5,000 metres at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. He also took part in the 1966 and 1971 European Championships, and was nominated for the 1969 Europeans, but West Germany boycotted that event. In 1967 Girke was European Indoor Champion over 3,000 metres, two years later earned a bronze medal in the same event, and in 1970 finished fifth. Domestically he won six titles at varying distances. Shortly after the Mexico Games he married his teammate, non-Olympian Monika Schnieber. Their daughter Birgit would later become a middle-distance runner. Werner Girke was educated as a mechanical engineer and worked for the German automobile company Volkswagen in Wolfsburg.

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